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The Last to Drown
Not yet published
Expected 16 Jul 26Five days. Twenty strangers. No way out.
The rafting trip was supposed to be the adventure of a lifetime. But Kaia’s starting to think she made a mistake.
Because ever since the whispers about Camas Creek began, all she feels is dread.
Seven years earlier, a guide murdered a group of rafters on this same isolated stretch of water. The killer’s body was recovered downstream—but the true-crime community has never stopped asking questions.
And for good reason.
The incidents start small—a flipped raft, missing supplies, and screams in the night—but the pattern is sickeningly familiar. And with eighty-four miles of whitewater until any sign of civilization, safety has never felt so far away.
Kaia suspects that one of the guides is lying. One of the guests knows more than she’s saying. And somewhere on this river, someone is planning to finish what started at Camas Creek.
The rafting trip was supposed to be the adventure of a lifetime. But Kaia’s starting to think she made a mistake.
Because ever since the whispers about Camas Creek began, all she feels is dread.
Seven years earlier, a guide murdered a group of rafters on this same isolated stretch of water. The killer’s body was recovered downstream—but the true-crime community has never stopped asking questions.
And for good reason.
The incidents start small—a flipped raft, missing supplies, and screams in the night—but the pattern is sickeningly familiar. And with eighty-four miles of whitewater until any sign of civilization, safety has never felt so far away.
Kaia suspects that one of the guides is lying. One of the guests knows more than she’s saying. And somewhere on this river, someone is planning to finish what started at Camas Creek.
330 pages, Paperback
Expected publication July 16, 2026
About the author
Noelle W. Ihli
18 books12.7k followersNoelle’s two great passions are murder and horses (separately, never together).
She lives in Idaho with her husband, two sons, and two cats. When she's not plotting her next thriller, she's scaring herself with true-crime documentaries or going for a trail ride in the foothills (with her trusty pepper spray).
She lives in Idaho with her husband, two sons, and two cats. When she's not plotting her next thriller, she's scaring herself with true-crime documentaries or going for a trail ride in the foothills (with her trusty pepper spray).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
Currently Reading
May 21, 2026Buddy read with my stunning bestie babe Cara!!! 🤭😍💐💖💋 I am sooo excited to read this new book from one of my favorite authors!! 😆💙💙
Currently Reading
May 20, 2026🎀👯🧸♡Buddy reading with my bestie girl Sarah🎀👯🧸♡!!!!!!!!
Want to Read
January 28, 2026OH MS IHLI!!
SPOILING US WITH ANOTHER ONE SO SOON AFTER THE LAST?!
OH YOU ARE JUST TOO GOOD TO US!!
💙🤍💙🤍
SPOILING US WITH ANOTHER ONE SO SOON AFTER THE LAST?!
OH YOU ARE JUST TOO GOOD TO US!!
💙🤍💙🤍
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I absolutely loved The Last to Drown by Noelle W. Ihli. This was an easy five-star read for me and exactly the kind of thriller I can’t get enough of: fast, intense, creepy, and impossible to put down. Noelle has such a talent for dropping you straight into the chaos from page one and keeping the tension high the entire time. Even when I started to piece together some of the bigger reveals early on, it didn’t lessen the experience at all because the real thrill was in watching everything unfold.
The setting and atmosphere were perfect. A women’s whitewater rafting trip already feels intense, but adding the history of a brutal murder on that same stretch of river made everything feel even more unsettling. Once things start going wrong, the story turns into a full-on survival nightmare in the best way. There were several scenes that genuinely had my heart racing. The whole book played out like a movie in my head. I especially loved the little details from The River Guides Almanac woven throughout the story because they added so much to the reading experience.
The pacing is classic Noelle W. Ihli: relentless, anxiety-inducing, and so addictive. There’s no filler, no overdone descriptions, just sharp writing and nonstop momentum. I also really appreciated that underneath all the terror and suspense, there was still something deeper here about survival, healing, and finding the strength to keep going. The female characters were strong, believable, and so easy to root for.
This is my first read by Noelle W. Ihli and already she has earned her place on my auto-read author list, and The Last to Drown is another absolute hit. If you love survival thrillers, wilderness horror, strong character work, and books that make you feel like you’re holding on for dear life right alongside the characters, definitely pick this one up.
www.pinkstinx.blogspot.com
The setting and atmosphere were perfect. A women’s whitewater rafting trip already feels intense, but adding the history of a brutal murder on that same stretch of river made everything feel even more unsettling. Once things start going wrong, the story turns into a full-on survival nightmare in the best way. There were several scenes that genuinely had my heart racing. The whole book played out like a movie in my head. I especially loved the little details from The River Guides Almanac woven throughout the story because they added so much to the reading experience.
The pacing is classic Noelle W. Ihli: relentless, anxiety-inducing, and so addictive. There’s no filler, no overdone descriptions, just sharp writing and nonstop momentum. I also really appreciated that underneath all the terror and suspense, there was still something deeper here about survival, healing, and finding the strength to keep going. The female characters were strong, believable, and so easy to root for.
This is my first read by Noelle W. Ihli and already she has earned her place on my auto-read author list, and The Last to Drown is another absolute hit. If you love survival thrillers, wilderness horror, strong character work, and books that make you feel like you’re holding on for dear life right alongside the characters, definitely pick this one up.
www.pinkstinx.blogspot.com
May 19, 2026
Noelle Ihli is such a talented writer and I don’t think anyone can prove me otherwise. Her books are not the typical “wait until the end for twists” kind of thrillers. No no no, Ihli throws you straight into the chaos from page one, slows things down just long enough for you to catch your breath and then gives you anxiety for the rest of the ride. All while somehow handing you answers before you even realize you should be asking the questions.
Imagine being on a 5 day women’s whitewater rafting trip only to find out that 7 years ago, a man murdered everyone except one lone teenager on this exact stretch of river… at the same place where you’ll be camping. Then the unthinkable happens as history starts repeating itself. Suddenly you’re stranded with strangers on a beach or trapped in a raft going down these rapids IN THE DARK trying to outrun a killer who always seems one step ahead of every survival plan.
Sure, I predicted the two bigger twists early on, but I didn’t have to sit around for 200+ pages waiting to find out if I was right. The twists are not revealed at the end but instead threaded into the plot and let know very early on. With this authors books there is always layers upon layers of shocks, the feeling of doom and emotional damage in the best way for a reader.
In true Ihli fashion, this book is nonstop anxiety, action and suspense. I’m talking 30% in and the gore is GORING, my heart is RACING and I’m gripping my metaphorical life jacket like I’m stuck in those rapids with them.
There’s one scene in particular that was so grotesque and nightmarish I genuinely couldn’t read fast enough yet somehow wanted to immediately go back and read it again. Without spoiling anything, it gave the exact same energy as the opening scene of a certain 2000s horror movie that has lived rent free in my brain ever since I first watched it. It’s still one of my favorite horror openings of all time, so seeing a book pull off that same level of horror perfection felt incredible.
This book was absolute perfection from the first page to the final page. As a reader, there is genuinely nothing I would change. It played out like a movie in my head the entire time especially the scene with Parker.
Imagine being on a 5 day women’s whitewater rafting trip only to find out that 7 years ago, a man murdered everyone except one lone teenager on this exact stretch of river… at the same place where you’ll be camping. Then the unthinkable happens as history starts repeating itself. Suddenly you’re stranded with strangers on a beach or trapped in a raft going down these rapids IN THE DARK trying to outrun a killer who always seems one step ahead of every survival plan.
Sure, I predicted the two bigger twists early on, but I didn’t have to sit around for 200+ pages waiting to find out if I was right. The twists are not revealed at the end but instead threaded into the plot and let know very early on. With this authors books there is always layers upon layers of shocks, the feeling of doom and emotional damage in the best way for a reader.
In true Ihli fashion, this book is nonstop anxiety, action and suspense. I’m talking 30% in and the gore is GORING, my heart is RACING and I’m gripping my metaphorical life jacket like I’m stuck in those rapids with them.
There’s one scene in particular that was so grotesque and nightmarish I genuinely couldn’t read fast enough yet somehow wanted to immediately go back and read it again. Without spoiling anything, it gave the exact same energy as the opening scene of a certain 2000s horror movie that has lived rent free in my brain ever since I first watched it. It’s still one of my favorite horror openings of all time, so seeing a book pull off that same level of horror perfection felt incredible.
This book was absolute perfection from the first page to the final page. As a reader, there is genuinely nothing I would change. It played out like a movie in my head the entire time especially the scene with Parker.
Want to Read
February 13, 2026this book is one of my most anticipated book releases in 2026 and I am exited to read this soon !
May 21, 2026
I was in a month long reading slump when I got approved for the advanced reading copy of this book through NetGalley.
And in just twenty-four hours, the slump was over! That’s the power Noelle Ihli has with her fast-paced, heart-pounding stories.
Kaia is taking the white water rafting trip of her dreams. Well, her dreams before they were shattered two years ago. Now, she’s trying so very hard to just survive the weight of each day.
She had no way of knowing that she would soon be trying to survive a life-and-death situation that would require not just every bit of her physical and mental strength, but it would also call on her strength to believe that love is truly forever. That maybe, just maybe, our loved ones will always be there.
As the rafting trip faces strange problems and one of the fellow rafters shares the horrific details of a mass slaughter that took place on the same river years before, Kaia realizes that she has to rely on all of her strength to survive an unfathomable situation, especially when it looks like the murders from years ago are being revisited by someone with the group.
As always, Ihli has crafted a thriller that races you through at breakneck speed. I found myself unable to read fast enough to get to the next page, holding my breath as Kaia and her fellow characters fought for their lives.
If all books could pull off this frantic need to find out what is going to happen, I would never fall into a reading slump again!
And in just twenty-four hours, the slump was over! That’s the power Noelle Ihli has with her fast-paced, heart-pounding stories.
Kaia is taking the white water rafting trip of her dreams. Well, her dreams before they were shattered two years ago. Now, she’s trying so very hard to just survive the weight of each day.
She had no way of knowing that she would soon be trying to survive a life-and-death situation that would require not just every bit of her physical and mental strength, but it would also call on her strength to believe that love is truly forever. That maybe, just maybe, our loved ones will always be there.
As the rafting trip faces strange problems and one of the fellow rafters shares the horrific details of a mass slaughter that took place on the same river years before, Kaia realizes that she has to rely on all of her strength to survive an unfathomable situation, especially when it looks like the murders from years ago are being revisited by someone with the group.
As always, Ihli has crafted a thriller that races you through at breakneck speed. I found myself unable to read fast enough to get to the next page, holding my breath as Kaia and her fellow characters fought for their lives.
If all books could pull off this frantic need to find out what is going to happen, I would never fall into a reading slump again!
May 20, 2026
The Last to Drown
By Noelle Ihli
Pub Date: Jul 16 2026
Dynamite Books
NO SPOILERS
She has done it again! I absolutely love her writing, and The Last To Drown completely blew me away.
From the very first page, the fast pace of this book takes off and never lets up. The narrative flows so beautifully and effortlessly that you don't even realize how fast you're turning the pages. It is the absolute definition of a "just one more chapter" kind of book—except you'll find yourself saying that at 2:00 AM because you simply cannot put it down.
While reading, my heart was genuinely racing. The sheer thrill and anxiety that builds throughout the story literally had me on the edge of my seat. Every single page left me desperate to get to the next one, craving whatever twist or answer would bring me just one step closer to the end.
Beyond the incredible suspense, I was so captivated by the sheer determination of the characters. They are pushed to their absolute limits, and their grit and resolve kept me completely invested in their journey.
If you are looking for a gripping, breathless thriller that will keep you up all night, this is it.
You are a master of the genre!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for the opportunity to read this incredible ARC.
All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
#NetGalley
By Noelle Ihli
Pub Date: Jul 16 2026
Dynamite Books
NO SPOILERS
She has done it again! I absolutely love her writing, and The Last To Drown completely blew me away.
From the very first page, the fast pace of this book takes off and never lets up. The narrative flows so beautifully and effortlessly that you don't even realize how fast you're turning the pages. It is the absolute definition of a "just one more chapter" kind of book—except you'll find yourself saying that at 2:00 AM because you simply cannot put it down.
While reading, my heart was genuinely racing. The sheer thrill and anxiety that builds throughout the story literally had me on the edge of my seat. Every single page left me desperate to get to the next one, craving whatever twist or answer would bring me just one step closer to the end.
Beyond the incredible suspense, I was so captivated by the sheer determination of the characters. They are pushed to their absolute limits, and their grit and resolve kept me completely invested in their journey.
If you are looking for a gripping, breathless thriller that will keep you up all night, this is it.
You are a master of the genre!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for the opportunity to read this incredible ARC.
All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
#NetGalley
May 17, 2026
4.5⭐️
I am a big fan of this authors books so I was excited to read this as soon as possible. Let me tell you this is a pulse pounding survival thriller.
There are 20 passengers on this elite white water rafting challenge with 4 guides. Our narrator is Kaia who should have been on this trip with her husband Parker but she’s travelling solo.
From the beginning it has a dark creepy anxiety fuelled vibe generated by camp talk of murd*rs along river years previously, then things start happening to ramp up the tension in this trip. It gets to really be pulse pounding, breath holding, the tension creating adrenaline fuelled anxiety. Quite the survival action thriller especially the first half. The pace slows in the second part but I felt that matched the women’s draining physical reserves.
What I felt was really well done is the bond that these women created during this adversity. My favourite characters are Macy, whose role as guide and protector came above all else and Kaia our narrator as we get to know her more than the others. There are some poignant moments.
There’s a whisper of paranormal, nothing to put off those who don’t enjoy this element as there’s also a rational explanation put forward for it.
Another hit from a consistently impressive author.
I am a big fan of this authors books so I was excited to read this as soon as possible. Let me tell you this is a pulse pounding survival thriller.
There are 20 passengers on this elite white water rafting challenge with 4 guides. Our narrator is Kaia who should have been on this trip with her husband Parker but she’s travelling solo.
From the beginning it has a dark creepy anxiety fuelled vibe generated by camp talk of murd*rs along river years previously, then things start happening to ramp up the tension in this trip. It gets to really be pulse pounding, breath holding, the tension creating adrenaline fuelled anxiety. Quite the survival action thriller especially the first half. The pace slows in the second part but I felt that matched the women’s draining physical reserves.
What I felt was really well done is the bond that these women created during this adversity. My favourite characters are Macy, whose role as guide and protector came above all else and Kaia our narrator as we get to know her more than the others. There are some poignant moments.
There’s a whisper of paranormal, nothing to put off those who don’t enjoy this element as there’s also a rational explanation put forward for it.
Another hit from a consistently impressive author.
May 18, 2026
Sheer perfection!! I have loved all of Noelle Ihli’s books, but this one might be my favorite—which is saying a lot because choosing just one is nearly impossible. The suspense was nonstop from beginning to end, and the setting was so vividly written that I felt like I was right there rafting down the river with the characters.
Even though I guessed the killer fairly early on, it didn’t take away from the experience at all. Watching everything unfold was still incredibly intense and satisfying. The pacing kept me hooked, and I especially loved the strong female characters who absolutely kicked butt throughout the story.
The isolated wilderness setting added such a claustrophobic, unsettling atmosphere, and the tension only continued to build as the trip spiraled further out of control. The mix of survival thriller, mystery, and psychological suspense was done so well. If you love fast-paced thrillers with action, suspense, and memorable characters, this one is a must-read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Even though I guessed the killer fairly early on, it didn’t take away from the experience at all. Watching everything unfold was still incredibly intense and satisfying. The pacing kept me hooked, and I especially loved the strong female characters who absolutely kicked butt throughout the story.
The isolated wilderness setting added such a claustrophobic, unsettling atmosphere, and the tension only continued to build as the trip spiraled further out of control. The mix of survival thriller, mystery, and psychological suspense was done so well. If you love fast-paced thrillers with action, suspense, and memorable characters, this one is a must-read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 15, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Dynamite Books for the ARC
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Noelle W. Ihli is truly the queen of thrillers, and once again she proved that everything she writes is absolute gold. The Last to Drown had me completely hooked from the very beginning, and I flew through this book so fast. As a true crime junkie, this story was right up my alley.
The premise alone was enough to pull me in 20 strangers on a rafting trip, all wondering if they’ll actually make it back alive. The tension never let up, and every chapter had me questioning who could be trusted. The twists were incredible and kept catching me off guard in the best way.
Noelle has such a talent for creating suspense that feels intense and real without ever slowing down the story. This book was gripping, chilling, and impossible to put down. Easily a 5-star read for me!
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Noelle W. Ihli is truly the queen of thrillers, and once again she proved that everything she writes is absolute gold. The Last to Drown had me completely hooked from the very beginning, and I flew through this book so fast. As a true crime junkie, this story was right up my alley.
The premise alone was enough to pull me in 20 strangers on a rafting trip, all wondering if they’ll actually make it back alive. The tension never let up, and every chapter had me questioning who could be trusted. The twists were incredible and kept catching me off guard in the best way.
Noelle has such a talent for creating suspense that feels intense and real without ever slowing down the story. This book was gripping, chilling, and impossible to put down. Easily a 5-star read for me!
May 15, 2026
Well she has done it again, another absolute
banger!!! This is a 5 ⭐️ edge of your seat thriller
that you need to add to your TBR right now!!!
Kaia’s lost her husband to tragic accident. She goes
on the 5 day rafting trip because it was something
she had already planned with her late husband. But this
stretch of water was a bloody murder scene 7 years
earlier when a guide murdered a group of rafters. Then
history starts to repeat itself and before I knew it I was
neck deep in a fight for your life survival story that didnt
allow me to come up for air until the very end. I think I
held my breathe the entire time. It is also takes you on
a seperate journey of love/loss/hope and the discovery
of much needed friendships. It also has a tiny supernatural aspect. Gosh I loved it so much
banger!!! This is a 5 ⭐️ edge of your seat thriller
that you need to add to your TBR right now!!!
Kaia’s lost her husband to tragic accident. She goes
on the 5 day rafting trip because it was something
she had already planned with her late husband. But this
stretch of water was a bloody murder scene 7 years
earlier when a guide murdered a group of rafters. Then
history starts to repeat itself and before I knew it I was
neck deep in a fight for your life survival story that didnt
allow me to come up for air until the very end. I think I
held my breathe the entire time. It is also takes you on
a seperate journey of love/loss/hope and the discovery
of much needed friendships. It also has a tiny supernatural aspect. Gosh I loved it so much
May 17, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Dynamite Books for the opportunity to read an early copy of this masterpiece!
The Last To Drown was so well written, it felt like I was watching a movie unfold in front of me as I read along. I could practically see every detail being brought to life! The suspense kept me on my toes from the first chapter and I LOVED the little facts from The River Guides Almanac throughout the book! They added such a unique touch to the book!
This was a 5 star read for me!
The Last To Drown was so well written, it felt like I was watching a movie unfold in front of me as I read along. I could practically see every detail being brought to life! The suspense kept me on my toes from the first chapter and I LOVED the little facts from The River Guides Almanac throughout the book! They added such a unique touch to the book!
This was a 5 star read for me!
May 18, 2026
This was a wild ride with nonstop action! This rafting trip was supposed to be an adventure of a lifetime. 20 strangers on a 5 day trip down the river. But things do not go as planned. 7 years ago there was a massacre and it looks like history is repeating itself…
This was an atmospheric book with lots of dread. I could imagine myself there in this situation and it was terrifying! This is a book you will fly right through with no future plan of ever going rafting!
This was an atmospheric book with lots of dread. I could imagine myself there in this situation and it was terrifying! This is a book you will fly right through with no future plan of ever going rafting!
May 21, 2026
Review of advanced copy received by Netgally
Noelle is a master storyteller who sucks you in from the very first page.
I devoured this book and had such a fun time reading it. Even though I picked the twist early, it still had my heart pumping and me frantically flicking through the pages.
I do wish we got a little more from the ending, just for that extra satisfaction and a tighter bow on everything, but overall I absolutely loved this book.
Noelle is a master storyteller who sucks you in from the very first page.
I devoured this book and had such a fun time reading it. Even though I picked the twist early, it still had my heart pumping and me frantically flicking through the pages.
I do wish we got a little more from the ending, just for that extra satisfaction and a tighter bow on everything, but overall I absolutely loved this book.
May 17, 2026
Another 5 star read from Noelle. She is one my must read authors so I was thrilled to receive an ARC and have the opportunity to review her most recent book.
It was so full of shocking twists and suspense that I was constantly on edge. The characters were so well written and the plot was unbelievable!
Edge of your seat read.
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It was so full of shocking twists and suspense that I was constantly on edge. The characters were so well written and the plot was unbelievable!
Edge of your seat read.
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read
April 28, 2026Listen, if Noelle writes it then I'm gonna be reading it. Can't wait for July!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Dynamite Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Noelle W. Ihli really has a talent for taking one of my worst possible fears and turning it into a full blown panic attack of a thriller, and “The Last to Drown” absolutely delivered on that. I can officially say that white water rafting has now been added to the list of things I will never be doing thanks to this book.
The story follows Kaia, who signs up for an all-women rafting trip that she was originally supposed to take with her husband before his tragic death. Kaia is deeply stuck in her grief and hoping this trip might help her finally start living again instead of just surviving. Unfortunately for her, the rafting route happens to be the exact same stretch of river where a guide massacred a group of people years earlier before supposedly drowning himself. Except nobody really believes the full truth ever came out. The true crime theories are endless, the details are horrifying, and from the very beginning there’s this heavy sense of dread hanging over the entire trip.
And then things start going wrong.
Supplies disappear. Rafts flip. The satellite phone vanishes. Strange accidents start piling up until it becomes painfully obvious that someone may be recreating the original murders. Once the survival aspect kicks in pretty early on in the book, this book completely takes off and never slows down. The tension was genuinely suffocating at times because the setting itself is already terrifying. These women are trapped on dangerous rapids with no easy way out, surrounded by wilderness, knowing help is impossibly far away. The river controls everything, and that feeling of helplessness made every scene feel even more intense.
The atmosphere in this book was incredible. Noelle W. Ihli knows how to weaponize isolation and paranoia in a way that makes you feel trapped right alongside the characters. I was suspicious of literally everyone. Even when I figured out certain twists fairly early, it honestly didn’t matter because watching everything unfold was still so stressful and satisfying. This book feels less like a mystery and more like pure survival horror at times, especially once the violence escalates. Some of the deaths are brutal, and the way the killer stalks the group honestly gave major Michael Myers energy. There’s this constant feeling that nobody is safe and the terror just keeps building with every chapter.
But what really made the story work for me was Kaia herself. Underneath all the action and chaos, this is also a really emotional story about grief, depression, and learning how to keep going after unimaginable loss. Kaia spends much of the book internally battling the urge to simply give up, and I thought those quieter moments added a lot of depth to the nonstop suspense. There’s also a subtle paranormal element involving her hearing her late husband’s voice guiding her through dangerous moments, and I actually loved how ambiguous it stayed. It never overpowered the thriller elements, but it added an eerie emotional layer to the story.
I also loved the female camaraderie throughout the book. Watching these women strategize, protect one another, and fight back against impossible odds was incredibly satisfying. Macy especially stood out as a guide who constantly put everyone else’s safety first. The final confrontation was fueled with so much rage and desperation and honestly felt earned after everything these women endured.
The pacing is classic Noelle W. Ihli: fast, relentless, anxiety inducing, and impossible to put down. Even when the second half slows slightly, it works because you can feel how physically and emotionally exhausted the characters have become. By the end, the story still manages to leave you with something hopeful underneath all the terror, focusing on healing, survival, and finding the strength to keep living.
This was an intense, pulse pounding survival thriller with claustrophobic wilderness horror, nonstop tension, and some genuinely stressful scenes that had me clutching the book like my life depended on it. Another absolute hit from Noelle W. Ihli.
Noelle W. Ihli really has a talent for taking one of my worst possible fears and turning it into a full blown panic attack of a thriller, and “The Last to Drown” absolutely delivered on that. I can officially say that white water rafting has now been added to the list of things I will never be doing thanks to this book.
The story follows Kaia, who signs up for an all-women rafting trip that she was originally supposed to take with her husband before his tragic death. Kaia is deeply stuck in her grief and hoping this trip might help her finally start living again instead of just surviving. Unfortunately for her, the rafting route happens to be the exact same stretch of river where a guide massacred a group of people years earlier before supposedly drowning himself. Except nobody really believes the full truth ever came out. The true crime theories are endless, the details are horrifying, and from the very beginning there’s this heavy sense of dread hanging over the entire trip.
And then things start going wrong.
Supplies disappear. Rafts flip. The satellite phone vanishes. Strange accidents start piling up until it becomes painfully obvious that someone may be recreating the original murders. Once the survival aspect kicks in pretty early on in the book, this book completely takes off and never slows down. The tension was genuinely suffocating at times because the setting itself is already terrifying. These women are trapped on dangerous rapids with no easy way out, surrounded by wilderness, knowing help is impossibly far away. The river controls everything, and that feeling of helplessness made every scene feel even more intense.
The atmosphere in this book was incredible. Noelle W. Ihli knows how to weaponize isolation and paranoia in a way that makes you feel trapped right alongside the characters. I was suspicious of literally everyone. Even when I figured out certain twists fairly early, it honestly didn’t matter because watching everything unfold was still so stressful and satisfying. This book feels less like a mystery and more like pure survival horror at times, especially once the violence escalates. Some of the deaths are brutal, and the way the killer stalks the group honestly gave major Michael Myers energy. There’s this constant feeling that nobody is safe and the terror just keeps building with every chapter.
But what really made the story work for me was Kaia herself. Underneath all the action and chaos, this is also a really emotional story about grief, depression, and learning how to keep going after unimaginable loss. Kaia spends much of the book internally battling the urge to simply give up, and I thought those quieter moments added a lot of depth to the nonstop suspense. There’s also a subtle paranormal element involving her hearing her late husband’s voice guiding her through dangerous moments, and I actually loved how ambiguous it stayed. It never overpowered the thriller elements, but it added an eerie emotional layer to the story.
I also loved the female camaraderie throughout the book. Watching these women strategize, protect one another, and fight back against impossible odds was incredibly satisfying. Macy especially stood out as a guide who constantly put everyone else’s safety first. The final confrontation was fueled with so much rage and desperation and honestly felt earned after everything these women endured.
The pacing is classic Noelle W. Ihli: fast, relentless, anxiety inducing, and impossible to put down. Even when the second half slows slightly, it works because you can feel how physically and emotionally exhausted the characters have become. By the end, the story still manages to leave you with something hopeful underneath all the terror, focusing on healing, survival, and finding the strength to keep living.
This was an intense, pulse pounding survival thriller with claustrophobic wilderness horror, nonstop tension, and some genuinely stressful scenes that had me clutching the book like my life depended on it. Another absolute hit from Noelle W. Ihli.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I may be late to the Noelle W. Ihli fan club, but as the saying goes, better late than never.
I first discovered Noelle through Facebook, in one group or another, but then I ended up following her page for updates after reading a few of her novels. I was anxious when I saw a post regarding on her upcoming release. The moment I saw her announcement that her newest novel, The Last to Drown, was available on NetGalley for ARC requests, I submitted mine immediately. Needless to say, I was absolutely thrilled when I was approved.
My introduction to Noelle's work began with Forget You Saw Her, the prequel to Ask for Andrea, which I read next. Both novels were impossible to put down, and each delivered an emotional punch that stayed with me long after I turned the final page. From there, I read The Thicket, which I believe was her debut. I was captivated by its unique premise and execution. Most recently, I finished None Left to Tell, and once again, I was completely hooked.
By now, the pattern is obvious: Noelle W. Ihli has firmly earned a place on my list of favorite authors.
And I am happy to report that The Last to Drown is yet another winner.
The story follows Kaia, who joins a guided whitewater rafting trip alongside a group of women. What begins as a short outdoor adventure quickly spirals into something far more intense and dangerous. Despite the story unfolding over a relatively brief period, Noelle packs an incredible amount of tension, suspense, and action into every chapter.
As always, the pacing is razor-sharp. The characters feel authentic and well-developed, and the plot never loses momentum. While the final reveal was not entirely surprising, it was still immensely satisfying and fit the story perfectly.
One of the things I admire most about Noelle W. Ihli's writing is her ability to draw inspiration from real-life events. She does not sensationalize trauma or exploit suffering for shock value. Instead, she transforms difficult subject matter into thoughtful, gripping stories that are both emotionally resonant and deeply immersive.
That is a rare talent, and Noelle continues to prove she has mastered it.
The Last to Drown is another compelling, fast-paced thriller from an author who has become an automatic must-read for me. If you enjoy suspense novels that are emotionally charged, expertly plotted, and impossible to put down, this one deserves a spot at the top of your reading list.
I first discovered Noelle through Facebook, in one group or another, but then I ended up following her page for updates after reading a few of her novels. I was anxious when I saw a post regarding on her upcoming release. The moment I saw her announcement that her newest novel, The Last to Drown, was available on NetGalley for ARC requests, I submitted mine immediately. Needless to say, I was absolutely thrilled when I was approved.
My introduction to Noelle's work began with Forget You Saw Her, the prequel to Ask for Andrea, which I read next. Both novels were impossible to put down, and each delivered an emotional punch that stayed with me long after I turned the final page. From there, I read The Thicket, which I believe was her debut. I was captivated by its unique premise and execution. Most recently, I finished None Left to Tell, and once again, I was completely hooked.
By now, the pattern is obvious: Noelle W. Ihli has firmly earned a place on my list of favorite authors.
And I am happy to report that The Last to Drown is yet another winner.
The story follows Kaia, who joins a guided whitewater rafting trip alongside a group of women. What begins as a short outdoor adventure quickly spirals into something far more intense and dangerous. Despite the story unfolding over a relatively brief period, Noelle packs an incredible amount of tension, suspense, and action into every chapter.
As always, the pacing is razor-sharp. The characters feel authentic and well-developed, and the plot never loses momentum. While the final reveal was not entirely surprising, it was still immensely satisfying and fit the story perfectly.
One of the things I admire most about Noelle W. Ihli's writing is her ability to draw inspiration from real-life events. She does not sensationalize trauma or exploit suffering for shock value. Instead, she transforms difficult subject matter into thoughtful, gripping stories that are both emotionally resonant and deeply immersive.
That is a rare talent, and Noelle continues to prove she has mastered it.
The Last to Drown is another compelling, fast-paced thriller from an author who has become an automatic must-read for me. If you enjoy suspense novels that are emotionally charged, expertly plotted, and impossible to put down, this one deserves a spot at the top of your reading list.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕. 𝑰𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅. 𝑶𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒊𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒔 𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈.
Kaia thought she signed up for an adrenaline rush, not a floating coffin. Seven years ago, a rafting guide slaughtered a group of people on the isolated waters of Camas Creek before supposedly dying downstream himself, but the true crime world never stopped circling the story like vultures because deep down, everybody knew something about it still felt wrong. Now Kaia is trapped on that same stretch of river with a group of strangers, a handful of guides who are absolutely giving “future Dateline episode” energy, and eighty-four miles of wilderness standing between her and civilization. Then the accidents start. Rafts flip. Supplies disappear. Screams split the dark in the middle of the night. And the sickest part? The pattern is almost identical to the original massacre.
One thing about this author is that she knows exactly how to weaponize fear. A lot of her books are inspired by true events, but this one feels like she reached directly into the deepest, most sleep-deprived corner of her brain and said, “What if I ruined rivers forever?” Because THAT is what happened here. I know this story came from her imagination, but the paranoia felt real. The claustrophobia felt real. The absolute panic of realizing you are trapped in the middle of nowhere with someone who may want you dead felt so real that I started side-eyeing every character like I was on that raft too. There is nowhere to run in this book. The river decides your pace. The wilderness swallows your screams. And every page feels like another step toward disaster.
This book does not let you breathe. Every time I thought maybe things would calm down for five seconds, somebody would do something horrifying or outright feral, and off we went again straight into the rapids. The tension kept escalating until I was no longer reading normally. I was clutching the book with my shoulders up around my ears, muttering “absolutely not” every few pages while looking for an inhaler that I don't own. The author's latest offering is not just a thriller; it's pure panic that left me with the realization that if Noelle W. Ihli ever invites me on a rafting trip, I am staying home. Many thanks to Dynamite Books and the author for this early copy that publishes July 16, 2026.
Kaia thought she signed up for an adrenaline rush, not a floating coffin. Seven years ago, a rafting guide slaughtered a group of people on the isolated waters of Camas Creek before supposedly dying downstream himself, but the true crime world never stopped circling the story like vultures because deep down, everybody knew something about it still felt wrong. Now Kaia is trapped on that same stretch of river with a group of strangers, a handful of guides who are absolutely giving “future Dateline episode” energy, and eighty-four miles of wilderness standing between her and civilization. Then the accidents start. Rafts flip. Supplies disappear. Screams split the dark in the middle of the night. And the sickest part? The pattern is almost identical to the original massacre.
One thing about this author is that she knows exactly how to weaponize fear. A lot of her books are inspired by true events, but this one feels like she reached directly into the deepest, most sleep-deprived corner of her brain and said, “What if I ruined rivers forever?” Because THAT is what happened here. I know this story came from her imagination, but the paranoia felt real. The claustrophobia felt real. The absolute panic of realizing you are trapped in the middle of nowhere with someone who may want you dead felt so real that I started side-eyeing every character like I was on that raft too. There is nowhere to run in this book. The river decides your pace. The wilderness swallows your screams. And every page feels like another step toward disaster.
This book does not let you breathe. Every time I thought maybe things would calm down for five seconds, somebody would do something horrifying or outright feral, and off we went again straight into the rapids. The tension kept escalating until I was no longer reading normally. I was clutching the book with my shoulders up around my ears, muttering “absolutely not” every few pages while looking for an inhaler that I don't own. The author's latest offering is not just a thriller; it's pure panic that left me with the realization that if Noelle W. Ihli ever invites me on a rafting trip, I am staying home. Many thanks to Dynamite Books and the author for this early copy that publishes July 16, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🛶 🏊♀️ 🌊 🩸 ARC BOOK REVIEW 🩸 🌊 🏊♀️ 🛶
PUB DATE: July 13th
My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 5 Heart Pounding Stars 😱
“He’s whistling. While moving steadily toward us, unrelenting and unhurried like some kind of Michael Myers on the water. Like he’s … enjoying this.”
🔥 🔥🔥🔥 oh my gosh what a rush this book was !! It was UNPUTDOWNABLE!!
I binged The Last to Drown in one sitting and I forgot to breathe for approximately 300 pages !
The Last to Drown is a pulse pounding action packed thriller adventure that will be sure to quench your summer reading thirsts !
Full of suspense this story hooks you from page one and doesn’t let up the entire time .
This book was such a vibe and kind of had this 80’s nostalgia feeling to it , you know the kind that are predictable but are meant to be, leaving the reader knowing what was going to happen before our protagonist did which makes the reader constantly on the edge of their seat yelling the entire time trying to warn the characters.
I gobbled this one up and highly recommend for those that like :
🛶 Serial Killer themes
🛶 Pulse Pounding reads
🛶 Adventure
🛶 ANXIETY driven stories
🛶 Predictable with full intent !
🛶 unlikable characters
🛶 Fun thrilling reads
This book filled me full of anxiety but in the best way . This is my 7th book by @noelleihliauthor and this may be in my top favorite of hers and will be hard to forget this wild chaotic ride !
I live on Vancouver Island and we have 100’s of rivers to access , and when I was about 13 I was tubbing down the river with my stepfather and we came to a section in the river that had a tree down and my stepdad said come this way to left you won’t get stuck under that tree …well I was lighter than him and headed straight for that tree and got sucked under and trapped lost my bathing shorts and everything and my poor dad had to try and get me out while almost drowning trapped under this tree , was so scary , so be safe on the water 💦 this experience only added to my reading experience 🖤
Thank you NetGalley , Dynamite Books & Noelle W Ihli for this tension driven ARC 🙌🏼
PUB DATE: July 13th
My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 5 Heart Pounding Stars 😱
“He’s whistling. While moving steadily toward us, unrelenting and unhurried like some kind of Michael Myers on the water. Like he’s … enjoying this.”
🔥 🔥🔥🔥 oh my gosh what a rush this book was !! It was UNPUTDOWNABLE!!
I binged The Last to Drown in one sitting and I forgot to breathe for approximately 300 pages !
The Last to Drown is a pulse pounding action packed thriller adventure that will be sure to quench your summer reading thirsts !
Full of suspense this story hooks you from page one and doesn’t let up the entire time .
This book was such a vibe and kind of had this 80’s nostalgia feeling to it , you know the kind that are predictable but are meant to be, leaving the reader knowing what was going to happen before our protagonist did which makes the reader constantly on the edge of their seat yelling the entire time trying to warn the characters.
I gobbled this one up and highly recommend for those that like :
🛶 Serial Killer themes
🛶 Pulse Pounding reads
🛶 Adventure
🛶 ANXIETY driven stories
🛶 Predictable with full intent !
🛶 unlikable characters
🛶 Fun thrilling reads
This book filled me full of anxiety but in the best way . This is my 7th book by @noelleihliauthor and this may be in my top favorite of hers and will be hard to forget this wild chaotic ride !
I live on Vancouver Island and we have 100’s of rivers to access , and when I was about 13 I was tubbing down the river with my stepfather and we came to a section in the river that had a tree down and my stepdad said come this way to left you won’t get stuck under that tree …well I was lighter than him and headed straight for that tree and got sucked under and trapped lost my bathing shorts and everything and my poor dad had to try and get me out while almost drowning trapped under this tree , was so scary , so be safe on the water 💦 this experience only added to my reading experience 🖤
Thank you NetGalley , Dynamite Books & Noelle W Ihli for this tension driven ARC 🙌🏼
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC.
I went into this book hesitant because, as someone who used to work in rafting, I wasn’t sure I wanted to relive the absolute terror of high-class rapids gone wrong. Instead, I got completely hooked.
What surprised me most was the emotional depth woven into the survival thriller. Beneath the relentless pacing, dangerous rapids, and escalating tension is a genuinely heartbreaking story about grief, memory, and survival. Kaia’s relationship with her late husband Parker added so much emotional weight to the story, especially the way his voice continues guiding her through the river — not in a supernatural way, but in the deeply human way we carry the people we’ve lost inside us.
One detail that absolutely wrecked me was Parker promising to return as a hawk, while Kaia, being such a grounded realist, keeps insisting that every hawk is “just a hawk.” That refusal to romanticise grief somehow makes it even more painful and believable.
And then there’s the rafting itself. This book understands the terrifying reality of river culture and whitewater danger. The guide dynamics, the bravado, the chaos when things go wrong — it all felt authentic to me. I’ve experienced a rafting trip where everyone, including the guides, was thrown from the boat while I was left alone trying to keep the raft afloat on an extremely dangerous rapid, so the tension in this book hit especially hard. The fear never felt exaggerated because I know how quickly control disappears on water.
What really impressed me structurally was that the major twist arrives surprisingly early, around 40%, transforming the story from “What is happening?” into “How much worse can this possibly get?” From there, the book becomes almost impossible to put down. I genuinely had to force myself to stop reading and sleep.
This wasn’t just an adrenaline-filled survival thriller. It was emotional, immersive, stressful, and deeply human.
I went into this book hesitant because, as someone who used to work in rafting, I wasn’t sure I wanted to relive the absolute terror of high-class rapids gone wrong. Instead, I got completely hooked.
What surprised me most was the emotional depth woven into the survival thriller. Beneath the relentless pacing, dangerous rapids, and escalating tension is a genuinely heartbreaking story about grief, memory, and survival. Kaia’s relationship with her late husband Parker added so much emotional weight to the story, especially the way his voice continues guiding her through the river — not in a supernatural way, but in the deeply human way we carry the people we’ve lost inside us.
One detail that absolutely wrecked me was Parker promising to return as a hawk, while Kaia, being such a grounded realist, keeps insisting that every hawk is “just a hawk.” That refusal to romanticise grief somehow makes it even more painful and believable.
And then there’s the rafting itself. This book understands the terrifying reality of river culture and whitewater danger. The guide dynamics, the bravado, the chaos when things go wrong — it all felt authentic to me. I’ve experienced a rafting trip where everyone, including the guides, was thrown from the boat while I was left alone trying to keep the raft afloat on an extremely dangerous rapid, so the tension in this book hit especially hard. The fear never felt exaggerated because I know how quickly control disappears on water.
What really impressed me structurally was that the major twist arrives surprisingly early, around 40%, transforming the story from “What is happening?” into “How much worse can this possibly get?” From there, the book becomes almost impossible to put down. I genuinely had to force myself to stop reading and sleep.
This wasn’t just an adrenaline-filled survival thriller. It was emotional, immersive, stressful, and deeply human.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
🌊 Do NOT read this if you have a fear of open water...
I just finished The Last to Drown by Noelle W. Ihli and my heart is still beating out of my chest. If you want a survival thriller that will completely consume your life for a day, ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR. 🛶💥
Here is the setup: Kaia is two years into grieving her late husband and decides to take a spot on an exclusive, all-women rafting retreat. 16 women, a few guides, and a 10-hour drive into the middle of nowhere.
But here’s the catch... 7 years ago, this exact river route was the site of a brutal massacre where a guide went mad and murdered an entire group.
By night two, they camp at the exact location of the original massacre: Camas Creek. And at 1:00 AM, the screams start. ⛺🩸
What makes this so unhinged:
🧠 We know the threat early: The book doesn't play games—you know the culprit is a man who has been planning this for years.
🌊 Ultimate high stakes: After a brutal attack at camp, the survivors are forced to do the one thing you never do: raft down savage whitewater rapids in the pitch black dark.
⏳ 60 miles to freedom: No phone signal, sheer canyon walls, and 60 miles of river between them and civilization.
It is fast, frantic, and incredibly chaotic in the best way possible. I physically could not put it
down and finished it in under 24 hours! 🤯
My Rating: 4/5 ★
Tropes: Survival Thriller, No Signal, Isolated Setting, Past Secrets
Are you adding this to your 2026 thriller list?! Let’s chat in the comments! 👇
My full review on this book can be found here; https://cindieslibrary.com/the-last-t...
I just finished The Last to Drown by Noelle W. Ihli and my heart is still beating out of my chest. If you want a survival thriller that will completely consume your life for a day, ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR. 🛶💥
Here is the setup: Kaia is two years into grieving her late husband and decides to take a spot on an exclusive, all-women rafting retreat. 16 women, a few guides, and a 10-hour drive into the middle of nowhere.
But here’s the catch... 7 years ago, this exact river route was the site of a brutal massacre where a guide went mad and murdered an entire group.
By night two, they camp at the exact location of the original massacre: Camas Creek. And at 1:00 AM, the screams start. ⛺🩸
What makes this so unhinged:
🧠 We know the threat early: The book doesn't play games—you know the culprit is a man who has been planning this for years.
🌊 Ultimate high stakes: After a brutal attack at camp, the survivors are forced to do the one thing you never do: raft down savage whitewater rapids in the pitch black dark.
⏳ 60 miles to freedom: No phone signal, sheer canyon walls, and 60 miles of river between them and civilization.
It is fast, frantic, and incredibly chaotic in the best way possible. I physically could not put it
down and finished it in under 24 hours! 🤯
My Rating: 4/5 ★
Tropes: Survival Thriller, No Signal, Isolated Setting, Past Secrets
Are you adding this to your 2026 thriller list?! Let’s chat in the comments! 👇
My full review on this book can be found here; https://cindieslibrary.com/the-last-t...
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Last to Drown ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
At this point I will honestly read anything Noelle W Ihli writes, and somehow she still manages to completely exceed my expectations every single time.
I was absolutely hooked by The Last to Drown from the very first chapters and genuinely did not want to put it down. This is one of those thrillers that completely consumes you while reading, heart pounding, tense and impossible to stop thinking about. I had moments where I just sat and stared at the wall!
The isolated whitewater rafting setting was PERFECT for this kind of survival thriller. The atmosphere felt claustrophobic, dangerous and constantly on edge, and every new incident ramped up the tension even more. I honestly felt stressed in the best possible way the entire time. I have a water and claustrophobic fear so they totally played into this for me and kept me on edge.
Kaia was such a strong and emotionally compelling main character, and I loved how grief, survival and resilience were woven into the story alongside the thriller elements. The pacing was relentless once things started unfolding, and I flew through this book desperate to know who could be trusted and what was really happening on the river.
What I love most about Noelle W Ihli’s books is how cinematic and addictive they feel, and this one was no exception. Every chapter leaves you needing the next one immediately, and the suspense had me genuinely gasping at points.
An absolutely gripping, high stakes survival thriller that I will be recommending to everyone. Another incredible read from an author who never disappoints.
At this point I will honestly read anything Noelle W Ihli writes, and somehow she still manages to completely exceed my expectations every single time.
I was absolutely hooked by The Last to Drown from the very first chapters and genuinely did not want to put it down. This is one of those thrillers that completely consumes you while reading, heart pounding, tense and impossible to stop thinking about. I had moments where I just sat and stared at the wall!
The isolated whitewater rafting setting was PERFECT for this kind of survival thriller. The atmosphere felt claustrophobic, dangerous and constantly on edge, and every new incident ramped up the tension even more. I honestly felt stressed in the best possible way the entire time. I have a water and claustrophobic fear so they totally played into this for me and kept me on edge.
Kaia was such a strong and emotionally compelling main character, and I loved how grief, survival and resilience were woven into the story alongside the thriller elements. The pacing was relentless once things started unfolding, and I flew through this book desperate to know who could be trusted and what was really happening on the river.
What I love most about Noelle W Ihli’s books is how cinematic and addictive they feel, and this one was no exception. Every chapter leaves you needing the next one immediately, and the suspense had me genuinely gasping at points.
An absolutely gripping, high stakes survival thriller that I will be recommending to everyone. Another incredible read from an author who never disappoints.
May 19, 2026
Noelle Ihli really has a way of making me question EVERYONE and “Last to Drown” had me suspicious from the very beginning. 😅 I went into this thinking “okay creepy rafting trip thriller” and somehow ended up completely stressed out, side-eyeing every single character, and refusing to put the book down because I needed to know what was actually happening.
The setting of this book was so good and described so vividly. Strangers trapped together on an isolated whitewater rafting trip where a massacre happened years earlier?? Absolutely terrifying. The second things started going wrong — flipped rafts, missing supplies, screams in the middle of the night — I knew this book was going to consume me. The isolation made everything feel so intense because there is literally nowhere to go and no one feels fully trustworthy.
I can’t even say too much without spoilers, but the paranoia in this story was unreal. Every chapter had me changing my mind about who I trusted. And the way the story plays with survival instincts and that eerie “third man syndrome” feeling?? SO unsettling in the best possible way.
Another incredible thriller by Noelle and one of those books that keeps your heart pounding the entire time. If you love fast-paced survival thrillers where nobody can be trusted, definitely pick this one up.
The setting of this book was so good and described so vividly. Strangers trapped together on an isolated whitewater rafting trip where a massacre happened years earlier?? Absolutely terrifying. The second things started going wrong — flipped rafts, missing supplies, screams in the middle of the night — I knew this book was going to consume me. The isolation made everything feel so intense because there is literally nowhere to go and no one feels fully trustworthy.
I can’t even say too much without spoilers, but the paranoia in this story was unreal. Every chapter had me changing my mind about who I trusted. And the way the story plays with survival instincts and that eerie “third man syndrome” feeling?? SO unsettling in the best possible way.
Another incredible thriller by Noelle and one of those books that keeps your heart pounding the entire time. If you love fast-paced survival thrillers where nobody can be trusted, definitely pick this one up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I absolutely LOVE Noelle’s writing. She has such a talent for creating plots that are intense, immersive, and emotionally consuming, you don’t just read her stories, you feel like you’re living inside them alongside the characters.
This wasn’t a slow-burn thriller at all; in true Noelle fashion, it was more of a crash-and-burn descent straight into chaos. From the very beginning, we’re thrown into the aftermath of what happened seven years ago, and the tension immediately hooks you. Even when you know where the story is headed, the execution keeps you completely invested.
The pacing is relentless, and the level of detail made every moment feel vivid and real. I could practically feel the fear, panic, and desperation radiating off the pages as Kaia and the girls fought to survive. Some scenes were unexpectedly gruesome, but they added so much intensity to the story.
What stood out to me the most was Kaia’s resilience. The tragedy she experienced in her personal life was heartbreaking, but Noelle transformed that pain into something deeply emotional and meaningful, I wanted to cry during several parts of her journey (don’t want to spoil it)
Overall, this was an incredibly gripping, anxiety-inducing thriller that kept me emotionally invested from start to finish!!
Thank you so much NetGalley, Dynamite Books, and Noelle Ihli for this ARC 🫶🏽
This wasn’t a slow-burn thriller at all; in true Noelle fashion, it was more of a crash-and-burn descent straight into chaos. From the very beginning, we’re thrown into the aftermath of what happened seven years ago, and the tension immediately hooks you. Even when you know where the story is headed, the execution keeps you completely invested.
The pacing is relentless, and the level of detail made every moment feel vivid and real. I could practically feel the fear, panic, and desperation radiating off the pages as Kaia and the girls fought to survive. Some scenes were unexpectedly gruesome, but they added so much intensity to the story.
What stood out to me the most was Kaia’s resilience. The tragedy she experienced in her personal life was heartbreaking, but Noelle transformed that pain into something deeply emotional and meaningful, I wanted to cry during several parts of her journey (don’t want to spoil it)
Overall, this was an incredibly gripping, anxiety-inducing thriller that kept me emotionally invested from start to finish!!
Thank you so much NetGalley, Dynamite Books, and Noelle Ihli for this ARC 🫶🏽
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Clear your schedules and leave the adulting to someone else! This action-packed, pulse pounding thriller is a one-sitting read that you won't be able to put down. The pure terror that consumed me was so intense that it felt like one big fight or flight, adrenaline rush that lasted four to five hours. I can almost guarantee that I lost a few pounds due to my increased heart rate. It took me hours to calm myself down until I finally crashed for the night. I don't think I've ever read a book that made me feel that way. And, after reading this, it's safe to say that even if I ever wanted to go on a river trail, I won't be doing it now. But let's talk about the girl power in this story because it was fierce! I was immensely inspired by the grit and determination these women exhibited in the face of danger. Their perseverance to survive and help one another was truly admirable. I could only hope that I would be as courageous as they were. This book will forever be one of my top recommendations and needs to be read by all! You will not be disappointed. Expected pub date is 7/16/26.
Thank you to Dynamite Books and NetGalley for granting me a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Thank you to Dynamite Books and NetGalley for granting me a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I recently read "The Last To Drown," by Noelle Ihli and I must say, it was an amazing captivating experience from start to finish. This was my first Ilhi book and I love her writing style. I'm already eager to delve into her back catalog to see what else I have been missing.
From the very first pages, I was spellbound. What makes it truly exceptional is its unique premise: early in the book, a group of women, having just completed an adrenaline pumping day of whitewater rafting, find themselves camping on the riverbank. As they prepare for another day on the rapids, they gather to share a chilling campfire story. a 'ghost story' as I'd call it, which immediately drew me into the unfolding mystery and suspense.
The vivid descriptions of the whitewater rafting expeditions were incredible, transporting me directly into the heart of their perilous journey. The desperate struggle for survival, the narrative created an atmosphere of relentless suspense. I found myself completely engrossed, turning pages late into last night, utterly compelled to discover the fate of each character. It’s rare to find a book that so effectively combines high stakes adventure with such a gripping, unique plot device.
From the very first pages, I was spellbound. What makes it truly exceptional is its unique premise: early in the book, a group of women, having just completed an adrenaline pumping day of whitewater rafting, find themselves camping on the riverbank. As they prepare for another day on the rapids, they gather to share a chilling campfire story. a 'ghost story' as I'd call it, which immediately drew me into the unfolding mystery and suspense.
The vivid descriptions of the whitewater rafting expeditions were incredible, transporting me directly into the heart of their perilous journey. The desperate struggle for survival, the narrative created an atmosphere of relentless suspense. I found myself completely engrossed, turning pages late into last night, utterly compelled to discover the fate of each character. It’s rare to find a book that so effectively combines high stakes adventure with such a gripping, unique plot device.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for the ARC of *The Last to Drown* by Noelle W. Ihli.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book completely pulled me in from the start and honestly felt like one long adrenaline rush.
A remote rafting trip, a river with a terrifying past, no contact with the outside world, and a constant feeling of dread… this story wastes no time throwing you straight into the tension.
What really worked for me was the atmosphere. The wilderness setting, dangerous rapids, and constant paranoia made everything feel intense and unpredictable. Every time something went wrong, I felt stressed for the characters.
Noelle W. Ihli has such an addictive writing style too. The pacing is fast, the chapters fly by, and there’s always something happening that makes you want to keep reading. I kept telling myself “one more chapter” and suddenly half the night was gone.
I also loved that underneath all the survival thriller chaos, there was still an emotional story about grief, survival, and finding the strength to keep moving forward after loss.
This was such a fun, stressful, bingeable thriller and another reminder that survival thrillers might actually be one of my favourite genres.
Also… white water rafting? Absolutely not 😅🌊
⚠️ Content warnings for some graphic gore.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book completely pulled me in from the start and honestly felt like one long adrenaline rush.
A remote rafting trip, a river with a terrifying past, no contact with the outside world, and a constant feeling of dread… this story wastes no time throwing you straight into the tension.
What really worked for me was the atmosphere. The wilderness setting, dangerous rapids, and constant paranoia made everything feel intense and unpredictable. Every time something went wrong, I felt stressed for the characters.
Noelle W. Ihli has such an addictive writing style too. The pacing is fast, the chapters fly by, and there’s always something happening that makes you want to keep reading. I kept telling myself “one more chapter” and suddenly half the night was gone.
I also loved that underneath all the survival thriller chaos, there was still an emotional story about grief, survival, and finding the strength to keep moving forward after loss.
This was such a fun, stressful, bingeable thriller and another reminder that survival thrillers might actually be one of my favourite genres.
Also… white water rafting? Absolutely not 😅🌊
⚠️ Content warnings for some graphic gore.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"He's whistling. While moving steadily toward us, unrelenting and unhurried like some kind of Michael Myers on the water."
When Kaia goes on white water rafting excursion with a group of other women, she's hoping to have at least a little bit of fun. After the loss of her husband, Parker, she hasn't really come out of her apartment much because she has been inundated with anger and grief. This might be her perfect opportunity to begin healing...
Except as their excursion starts, strange things start happening, and stories of a past massacre come to light...at the same stretch of rapids/campsites that Kaia and her group are going on.
I mean, it's nothing to worry about, right? History doesn't repeat itself...or does it?
Strap on your lifejacket because you're going on the ride of your life! This was a fast paced, heart pounding, intense thriller that won't let go of its grip on you until the last page!
-Trigger warnings: assault, murder, cussing
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital e-ARC. All opinions expressed are my own!*
When Kaia goes on white water rafting excursion with a group of other women, she's hoping to have at least a little bit of fun. After the loss of her husband, Parker, she hasn't really come out of her apartment much because she has been inundated with anger and grief. This might be her perfect opportunity to begin healing...
Except as their excursion starts, strange things start happening, and stories of a past massacre come to light...at the same stretch of rapids/campsites that Kaia and her group are going on.
I mean, it's nothing to worry about, right? History doesn't repeat itself...or does it?
Strap on your lifejacket because you're going on the ride of your life! This was a fast paced, heart pounding, intense thriller that won't let go of its grip on you until the last page!
-Trigger warnings: assault, murder, cussing
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital e-ARC. All opinions expressed are my own!*
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